Live for You [Enhanced]

Oklahoma!: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - John Raitt/Franz Allers
On The Town: New York, New York - Michael Kermoyan/Adolph Green/John Reardon/Cris Alexander & Chorus/Leonard Bernstein
Annie Get Your Gun: I Got The Sun In The Morning - Doris Day/Franz Allers
Fiddler On The Roof: If I Were A Rich Man - Topol/Gareth Davies
West Side Story: Tonight - Larry Kert/Carol Lawrence/Max Goberman
The Sound Of Music: The Sound Of Music - Mary Martin/Frederick Dvonch
My Fair Lady: On The Street Where You Live - Jerry Lanning/Theodore Saidenberg
Annie: Tomorrow - Andrea McArdle/Peter Howard
The Music Man: Seventy-Six Trombones - The Boston Pops Orchestra/John Williams
Anything Goes: You're The Top - Eileen Rodgers/Hal Linden/Julian Stein
Bye Bye Birdie: Put On A Happy Face - Dick Van Dyke/Elliot Lawrence
Mame: Open A New Window - Angela Lansbury & Cast/Don Pippin
Strike Up The Band: Strike Up The Band - The Chestnut Brass Co.
Sweet Charity: Hey, Big Spender - Helen Gallagher/Thelma Oliver/Fan-Dango Girls/Fred Werner
Bells Are Ringing: Just In Time - Judy Holliday/Sydney Chaplin/Milton Rosenstock
Gypst: Together, Wherever We Go - Ethel Merman/Jack Klugman/Sandra Church/Milton Rosenstock
Cabaret: Cabaret - Jill Haworth/Harold Hastings
Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - The Boston Pops Orchestra/John Williams
Show Boat: Ol' Man River - William Warfield/Franz Allers
A Chorus Line: What I Did For Love - Priscilla Lopez & Cast/Don Pippin
A Little Night Music: Send In The Clowns - Glynis Johns/Harold Hastings

Customer Reviews:

Great to Hear All those great Voices from the Past.......2007-07-05

I just wanted to confirm what the first reviewer had to say about this CD. To hear Ethyl Merman, Mary Martin, Andrea McCardle etc. singing their trademark songs brought a lot of memories from the mid-centry musical theater back again. The last song by Glynis Johns is especially poignant.
You certainly can't beat the price!

A Good One!.......2006-11-10

This is a very good CD, mostly because it's the original artists. I've had some that were re-recorded by no name artists that were ghastly. This one is a really good one--including the sound quality. If I had one wish, I would wish it were longer!

American Dreamer: Songs of Stephen Foster; Thomas Hampson; Jay Unger; Molly Mason

Average customer rating:

It's Dreamy
My Favorite Composer of all time
An American classic from Hampson that brings smiles and tears
OMG!!! More than 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 stars, one of the best album in the world!!!
It's simply lovely

American Dreamer: Songs of Stephen Foster; Thomas Hampson; Jay Unger; Molly Mason
Thomas Hampson , Jay Ungar , Molly Mason , Garrison Keillor , David Alpher , Mark Rust , Michael Parloff , Peter Ecklund , John Kirk , Arnold Kinsella , and Stephen Foster
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Song of Home
Song of America
Harvest Home
Civil War Classics
Stephen Foster Song Book

ASIN: B000002SK7
Release Date: 1992-10-20

Tracks:

Opening Solo Violin
Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
Hard Times Come Again No More
The Voice Of Bygone Days
Foster Favorites Medley (Ring, Ring The Banjo (1851) Oh! Susanna (1848) Camptown Races (1850)
Open Thy Lattice, Love (1844)
Beautiful Dreamer (1864)
That's What's The Matter
Old Home Medley (Old Folks at Home (1851) My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1853)
Molly! Do You Love Me? (1850)
Sweetly She Sleeps, My Alice Fair (1851)
Comrades, Fill No Glass For Me (1855)
Dancing On The River (Nelly Bly (1850) The Glendy Burk (1860) Angelina Baker (1850)
My Wife Is A Most Knowing Woman (1863)
Gentle Annie (1856)
Linger In Blissful Repose (1858)
Ah! May The Red Rose Live Alway (1850)

Customer Reviews:

It's Dreamy.......2007-01-10

This is a very wonderful recording of Stephen Foster by a master singer.
Foster's songs are of a more innocent and naive time in the American psyche, a time that it would not hurt us to remember, given the wretched brutality of American culture today (something you'll appreciate after listening to this recording).

The songs are beautifully sung by Mr. Hamspon, and the musical accompaniment with piano, mandolin, tuba, banjo, etc. seems a perfect setting for this period music. I enjoyed the musical interludes of Foster songs (not sung by Mr. Hampson), such as "Oh, Suzanna", "My Old Kentucky Home", and "Camptown Races." They are foot-stompin' and finger-snappin' good in a non-syncopated way.

Mr. Hampson's voice is so beautiful, and he has done such a wonderful job with these song's you'll just have to hear it, and when you do, tell me that you're not dreaming.

I remember reading a quote by John Phillip Sousa that decried the use of syncopation in American popular music. I never understood it until listening to this recording. The richness and intensity of American popular music (as experienced in the work of Stephen Foster) has been lost.
Everything has to be so cool today, thanks to syncopation, and "cool" really means no emotion.

If emotion is what you want, emotion is what you'll get with Stephen Foster's songs. It was a time when the death of loved ones (especially those who died in their youth) was experienced more often (see "I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair" and "Gentle Annie"). And we were not protected from the vicissitudes of fate by myriad government programs, modern medicine and universal prosperity (see "Hard Times").
Husbands and wives had their differences then, as today, (see the amusing song "My Wife is a Most Knowin' Woman") The passion of the Civil War (Foster was a Unionist),is reflected in a wonderful, fun song, "That's What's the Matter."

If you love good music, and you have heart which can be stirred, and you love your country, this is for you.

I love this recording. It has opened up the door to my "beautiful dreams," dreams of bygone days, lost love, and whatever else we pine for.

I wanted to buy several copies for my friends, but somehow I felt that the impact of this recording was so personal, that it could not be shared with others. Not that they couldn't enjoy it, but that I could not begin to share the intense emotion and reverie stirred in my heart by these beautiful songs.

My Favorite Composer of all time.......2006-08-20

Growing up playing his stuff on piano, I love the instrumentality of this CD..the violins give off that wail that he speaks of..I am not sure what it is about Stephen Foster but these verses..grab me like no other..there is so much sensitivity to it..

I dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair
Born like a vapor on the summer air
I see her tripping where the bright streams play
Happy as the daisies that dance on her way
Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour

but the violins in this CD make this CD the best out there..
FYI should you be into astrology Stephen Foster is definition of Cancer...Sun and Moon conjunct in Cancer with mars in Scorpio..i love his lyrics..almost to the point of obsession..

An American classic from Hampson that brings smiles and tears.......2006-07-17

Stephen Foster was the greatest American composer of sentimental parlor ballads--he so perfectly imitated folk songs that his music wound up turning into them. In an age of home music-making and later of families sitting around the radio, Foster's songs were a staple, often performed by crossover artists from opera like Lawrence Tibbett. Those were plump, ripe styles of singing, highly flavored by church hymns.

In this 1992 collection of 17 Foster favorites, plus a few rareties, Hampson drops the platform manner and goes straight for heartfelt sincerity. His tone is plain yet sweet, his expression intimate. He is accompanied by instruments redolent of the Victorian drawing room (guitar, fiddle, upright piano), and the mood they create brings tears and smiles of remembrance. This music is embedded in America's genes, and it's wonderful to realize that every note is still alive and throbbing with feeling.

OMG!!! More than 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 stars, one of the best album in the world!!!.......2005-11-25

Simply one word, WOW!!!
Thomas Hampson's voice is simply fantasic. His voice is very different from regular operatic baritone voice, very sweet, and rich. I really cant believe an operatic baritone can sing folk song like THIS good, in my opinion he sounds even better than his opera works in this album. His voice and the background music matches perfectly, the outcome would move u to tears, and u can feel the origin of MUSIC. This album really shows what the word MUSIC means, and the songs simply just ALL beautiful. I like his "beautiful dreamer", "my life is well knowing woman", and "jeanie with the light brown hair" the most. When I listen the songs I would just imagine that I am in the world of past USA, and I can feel the life of the ppl in the past USA~ just like watching an old classic movie, it would touch ur heart and fall in love with this album.

It's simply lovely.......2004-12-14

I didn't know Stephen Foster (I thought): wrong: Oh Susanna, etc, I knew, but had no idea who the composer was.

This CD is a revelation. The melodies are so beautiful, as are the poems, and Thomas Hampson just brings them to life as wonderfully as ever. I especially love "Beautiful Dreamer" - it gives me butterflies - and "My wife is a most knowing woman" - the way he makes the voices and the indignation is just brilliant. If one needed reminding what a brilliant singer Mr Hampson is - this disk does it.

Average customer rating:

Not the way I remember it.
RICHRATH RULES!
REO Still Rocks
REO Speedwagon - 'You Get What You Play For {Live} (Sony)
Live albums at their best!

Live: You Get What You Play For
REO Speedwagon
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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You Can Tune a Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish
Nine Lives
R.E.O./T.W.O.
Decade of Rock & Roll '70-'80
Good Trouble

ASIN: B00000258S
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Like You Do
Lay Me Down
Any Kind Of Love
Being Kind (Can Hurt Someone Sometimes)
Keep Pushin'
(Only A) Summer Love
Son Of A Poor Man
(I Believe) Our Time Is Gonna Come
Flying Turkey Trot
157 Riverside Avenue
Ridin' The Storm Out
Music Man
Golden Country

Customer Reviews:

Not the way I remember it........2007-06-11

I remember way back in the day when this album was released. I believe there are some cuts missing from this CD release. One in particular I remember is a cut titled: "Gary's Guitar Solo", it is not here. Too bad, it is a great guitar solo by Gary Richrath.

RICHRATH RULES!.......2007-05-09

I just listened to this cd and was quite impressed. The sound quality is terrific and very well recorded.
While G. Richrath is deservedly in the spotlight, I was amazed at how well Kevin Cronin's rhythm guitar sounded.
The rest of the band is spot on, with special kudos to Neal Doughty on keyboards.
There were a number of songs I had never heard before, but after listening to them, there will be no need to skip
any of them when playing them again. It's just a fun live rock 'n roll album (originally a two album set) from the
late '70s that deserves to be heard. Remastered in 1990, but sounds as good as some remastered much later.

REO Still Rocks.......2007-05-04

I bought this album when it first came out in the 70's. I first saw REO on
Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special & was hooked ever since. I first saw them live for the Tuna Tour,then at the Texas Jam in Houston & the Good Trouble tour.

The only problem with this CD is that they excluded Gary Richrath's
guitar solo after Turkey Trot.I hope they reissue the CD cause Gary is THE
most underated guitar player out there & I have worn out my LP.

REO Speedwagon - 'You Get What You Play For {Live} (Sony) .......2007-01-04

Originally put out in 1977. This is one band I haven't seen play live,yet. But I'm almost certain about one thing, their live concerts are SURE to be more exciting than their studio albums. THAT'S why I decided to check out 'You Get...'. Thirteen tracks, recorded during a live setting. This is what I've always refered to as 'jock rock'. What does that mean? Simply that most true REO fans I knew way back when usually hated the bands that I loved like Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Zeppelin, etc. Every football game,pep rally, etc. I hung out at in the '70's to early '80's usually had REO playing in the background on some student's car stereo, the auditorium PA, etc. Some of the tunes here I like are "Like You Do", the inpiring "Keep Pushing", "Flying Turkey Trot", "157 Riverside Avenue", "Riding The Storm Out" (my personal REO favorite) and "Music Man". Only problem I've ever had with REO Speedwagon is that I always thought they've been WAY-over played and over-rated. They're a decent arena / album rock unit that's been at it for 35 years now. Let's LEAVE it that.

Live albums at their best!.......2007-01-04

For those of you who enjoy a good ol'fashioned live 70's to 80's era rock n' roll show...this album is for you!

REO, over time became a pop radio standard and very polished study band, but in their earlier days, (before Tune-a-fish), there were one of the best touring acts out there.

Most bands have one eternal rock balad in among their works, this album has two...the under appreciated, "Golden Country" and "Riding the Storm out" (the definitive live version).

Average customer rating:

Would you like ketchup with your bug?
he makes you get up and dance
Live in Dublin
Live in Dublin
Live audience is great.

Live In Dublin
Andre Rieu
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Tuscany
Andre Rieu in Concert
The Flying Dutchman
The Vienna I Love, Waltzes From My Heart
At The Movies

ASIN: B0000CABHH
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Tracks:

Dark Eyes
Thunder & Lightning
The Merry Widow
Song of the Volga Boatman
Hor Ich Zimbalklange
Espana Cani (Bull)
O Mio Babbino Caro
The Blue Danube Waltz
Announcement Olympia Song
Song of Olympia (puppet)
My Heart Will Go On (Titanic)
All Men Shall Be Brothers - Beethoven 9th
Radetzky March
Opera Potpourri
The Red Rose Cafe
The Marino Waltz
Irish Washerwoman
The Last Rose
Chianti Song
Lullaby

Album Description

Recorded at the filming in Dublin's famous downtown train terminal, LIVE IN DUBLIN features Andre and the orchestra performing a collection of old favorites and exciting new selections. Already a smash PBS program LIVE IN DUBLIN captures Andre Rieu and his magical live performances at their most elegant best!

Customer Reviews:

Would you like ketchup with your bug?.......2007-05-05

The person who sang O Mio Babbino Caro is Carmen Monarcha. Do a search for her on YouTube; she's really fantastic!

Anyway, I saw Andre Rieu on a PBS special on television and it looked like such an awesome, high-energy concert! The CD is not so exciting, but it is worth buying just for that beautiful aria.

he makes you get up and dance.......2007-04-10

my 3 yr old enjoys this as much as us

Live in Dublin.......2007-02-17

The music is really toe tapping and excellent. Andre Rieu is a master of music.

Live in Dublin.......2006-07-05

This concert is magnificent in its energy and in the great performances by Andre Rieu and the Johann Stauss orchestra. I watch it when I need lifting up. I love the audience interaction which makes me feel as if I'm there in person.

Live audience is great........2006-05-03

This has to be one of Andre's best. The live audience adds much to the music being played. I wish I had been there for the performance.

Average customer rating:

Gone too soon...
WELCOME, AMERICAN IDOL VIEWERS
OK
A lyrical Genius was the Magic Neurological Symmetry of Donny, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye
These Songs for You, Live!

These Songs for You, Live!
Donny Hathaway
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A Donny Hathaway Collection
Live
Donny Hathaway
Everything Is Everything
In Performance

ASIN: B0001ZXM4A
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Tracks:

Flying Easy
Valdez In The Country
Someday We'll All Be Free
You've Got A Friend
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
What's Goin' On
Yesterday
Superwoman
A Song For You
Sack Full Of Dreams
Little Ghetto Boy
I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
The Ghetto
Interview

Customer Reviews:

Gone too soon..........2006-08-03

This CD is a close second to Marvin Gaye's "Live At The London Palladium" as being the best live recording out there. I can't believe there was a time when I didn't really care for live music but this CD is just outstanding. Donny doesn't hit a single sour note, the band is awesome and the mixing is perfect. You can't even tell that these songs were pulled from different performances. Don't even bother buying both the "Live" and "In Performance" CD's, just do yourself a favor and get this one. This CD has selections from both CDs along with previously unreleased material. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. It is so sad that he is gone but he left some really beautiful music behind, music that will never die.

WELCOME, AMERICAN IDOL VIEWERS.......2006-04-26

YES, this is the singer that contestant Elliott mentioned in such love and respect on the show. YES, you can get the best introduction to Donny by buying this live album and the Greatest Hits compilation that is the other best-selling Donny Hathaway album.

He has inspired many, and I envy you that you can now discover him through having heard his name on television.

OK.......2005-09-30

I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the greatest hits collections. Only his very popular songs worked for me.

A lyrical Genius was the Magic Neurological Symmetry of Donny, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye.......2005-06-22

HOW UNFORTUNATE IT IS WHEN THE LEGENDS LEAVE. BUT ALLAH HAS A BETTER PLAN. THIS IS WHAT MAKES MUSIC LIFE, AND LIFE BUT A SPECTRUM. FOR (Wherever Donny Hathaway and Aretha Franklin appear), WHEREVER GEORGE "PAPA P. FUNK" CLINTON APPEARS, THERE IS ALIEN MAGIC INVOLVED. HE (the GOD FATHER OF FUNK) AND HIS SON, THE RETURN OF THE CLONE RANGER cd ARE BOTH THE R&B BOY'S OF THE PLANET OF THE FUNK. "DROP A LINE" cd WAS A MASTERY OF GOOD WORK, JUST AS "OUR GANG FUNKY" FEATURING SON, TREY LEWD, TRACY 'Kid' LEWIS CLINTON. THIS IS WHY I MUST HAVE WHATEVER THEY PRODUCE, BECAUSE JUST LIKE BOOTSY'S IMPORTS ARE SO HARD TO COME BY, THESE PARTY WITH US BROTHER'S ARE LEAVING BEHIND A LEGACY. I recommend a Fifth of Funk, Parlamack, and Alien LoveStock by ERIC McFADDEN for Great sound and originallity. IT FEATURES GEORGE CLINTON AND BELITA WOODS, PROVING "WHO'S NO. 1 TO DROP THE BOMB." © 83 BY MICHAEL "SUN STAR ALI ALLAH" LOVE, AND THE COLLECTION OF MICHAEL `FUN LUV' MARBLEY PA COPYRIGHTS.

PERTAINING TO DONNY, HIS VOICE AND PROPHECY IS A
"UNBELIEVABLE HIDDEN GEM, A MUST HAVE FOR THE CLONES OF THE P."
USE YOUR INNATE FLEXIBLE INTELLIGENCE TO RESPOND MOMENT BY MOMENT TO EVERY SONG.
HE LIKE THE R&B BOY IS ON THE RISE! SON OF GEORGE, TRACY ' TREY LEWD' LEWIS CLINTON!! THIS IS WHY I MUST HAVE IT (Donny Hathaway) AND ALL OTHER FUTURE BIMINI ROAD PROJECTS & MUSIC PRODUCTIONS, FOR HE, JIMI HENDRIX, BOOTSY, PRINCE, KIDD FUNKADELIC, GABEDELIC, RONKAT THE FUNKALETIC, FRANKIE `KASH' WADDY & STEVIE WONDER, LIKE FATHER GEORGE CLINTON; ARE A BLAST AT LAYING A GOLDEN EGG & PUTTING A "FUNKY BUG IN YOUR EARS!" FUNK AFTER DEATH IS A FUNKSHIP OF GROOVE ETERNAL. PREPARE FOR A `DREAMSHIP SURPRISE.'

These Songs for You, Live!.......2005-06-07

A legend who left this world too soon. Thank goodness his live recordings are being released so that those who love real musical genius & talent can somehow feel that we are there while Donny serenades us.

If you have a Donny collection, then some of the songs you already know like: Flying Easy, Someday We'll All Be Free and You've Got A Friend but treats are his covers of Superwoman & Yesterday (and an interview at the end of the disc).

I'd highly recommend this disc if you are a serious fan looking to add to your collection AND if you are merely curious about Donny Hathaway, this is a good collection of his songs to begin to familiarize yourself with his music.

Average customer rating:

wallpaper
simply beautiful, so just enjoy it
Sloppy renditions and amateurish
Great songs reinvented, with a twist
Praise for Beyond Imagination

Beyond Imagination
Opera Babes
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Opera Band
Defined
Renaissance (Eng)
Summer
Etterna

ASIN: B00007MB2F
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Tracks:

One Fine Day (Un Bel Di From Madame Butterfly)
Sempre Ricordo (Piano Concerto in A minor)
There's A Place (From The New World Symphony)
Beyond Imagination (From A Midsummer Nights Dream)
O Fortuna (From Carmina Burana)
Lakm2O (Flower Duet)
Ebben?..Ne Andro Lontano (from La Wally)
You Live On In My Heart (Cinema Paradiso)
Chanson Boh (From Carmen)
Remember Me
Stranger In Paradise (From Kismet)
Ode II Joy (From Symphony No. 9)
1001 Nights (From The Nutcracker Suite)
Barcarolle (From The Tales Of Hoffman)
LakmVibeTribe Mix)
Ave Maria
Vittoria! (Aida 2002)

Amazon.com

Plucked from a wet afternoon of busking Bizet and Puccini to passersby on the Piazza in Covent Garden in the spring of 2001, soprano Rebecca Knight and mezzo Karen England soon found themselves singing in slightly larger venues: the FA Cup and Champions League soccer finals. That the management company doing the plucking had recently performed a similar Cinderella crossover act for Russell Watson offered portent, and indeed the Babes--the moniker began as a joke--were soon on their way to this recording debut. The marketing shtick and its soccer connections may offend purists, but it's the football hooligans that the Babes are trying to win over here; can Borodin soothe the savage Manchester United fan? Their classically trained voices mesh gloriously, with England's warm mezzo showing particular character in her solo turns.

The repertoire choices here cover material that may already be familiar to fans of Charlotte Church (i.e., Delibes "Flower Duet") and other crossover acts, but they do include some pleasant surprises, like Offenbach's Barcarolle from The Tales of Hoffmann and "You Live On in My Heart," a reworking of Ennio Morricone's enchanting Cinema Paradiso theme with lyrics by Knight. But in a rush toward the musical middle of the road, it's the productions themselves that sometimes overwhelm the Babes with bathos ("Ave Maria"), hollow thunder ("Aida 2002"), and electro club kitsch (the 'Vibe Tribe' mix of "Flower Duet"). Former Art of Noise mainstay Anne Dudley's tastefully restrained coloring of Tchaikovsky's "1001 Nights" is one of the notable exceptions. They're babes, they sing opera--with fair promise--for the masses, and if they turn one in a hundred from football hooliganism to a well-mannered appreciation of Grieg and Dvorák, won't it all have been worth it? --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

wallpaper.......2007-07-12

overorchestrated, overproduced aural wallpaper...that said, still, these women have wonderful voices and are worth hearing. They are oversold,too...Opera Babes! Indeed. Folks who like Enya will like this.

simply beautiful, so just enjoy it.......2007-06-11

my daughter has taught me to love opera. this immediately captured me. the Babes' voices blend so beautifully. I love it! who cares about Puccini, Classic Opera, blah, blah, woof, woof. I love this album

Sloppy renditions and amateurish.......2007-05-15

I heard one of the selections on Sirius and liked it so I bought the CD. Upon hearing the entire CD I was disappointed that the only selection I liked was the one that prompted me to buy the product. The voices are nice but they are simply adding voice to opera masterpieces that do not fit. They are certainly not of the caliber of Sarah Brightman or Charlotte Church and don't look for that. Their sound is mellow, dim and without the emotion that does an inservice to the opera pieces they sing. I found the CD lackluster and in all honestly very "amateurish".

Great songs reinvented, with a twist.......2006-09-30

Expanding upon the recent interest in Gregorian chant fusion as well as rich-voiced solo vocalists such as Josh Groban, operatic soprano Rebecca Knight and mezzo soprano Karen England offer full-vibratoed, somewhat modernized interpretations of favorite classical themes. Backed by chorus, orchestras, keyboards and drums, they draw from such diversely satisfying works as Puccini's opera "Madame Butterfly," Grieg's "Piano Concerto in a minor," Dvorak's "New World Symphony," Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream," Orff's "Carmina Burana," Delibe's "Lakme," Beethoven's "Ode to Joy," Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite," Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffman," Schubert's "Ave Maria," and Verdi's "Aida." Some of the arrangements are fairly traditional, while others are noticeably enhanced. The emphasis tends to be on pretty pieces with sweet melodies, though a few are more intense in nature (#1, 4, 5, 15 and 17). A couple of pop songs, still sung in operatic style, are thrown in for good measure, although they don't have the same appeal and mystique as the old favorites. All of the selections feature both vocalists together, singing in lovely, close harmony. The arrangers of this elegantly hip music include Jon Cohen, Noely, Frank Gallagher, Deni Lew and Anne Dudley, with multi-language lyrics (for the adaptations of instrumental works) by Rebecca Knight and others. I have to admit that I occasionally found myself longing for the modern additions to be more consistently interesting and distinctive--in other words, equaling the artistry of the classics that they're accompanying. Track #1, which really shines, is a well-done example. Alternately, perhaps the source songs might have been better off left in their pure, original styles rather than watered down with schmaltzy, predictable underpinnings that don't add much to the music. But like Enigma did for medieval chant, the Opera Babes are endeavoring to bring some wonderful, time-tested music to a wider audience, fusing it with modern idioms in way that is artistic and generally appealing. For more opera fusion, compare the work of Amici Forever (a group of five singers, both male and female), and the oddly packaged but similar-in-concept album "Coco de Mer" by Adam Plack.

Praise for Beyond Imagination.......2006-02-26

What I really enjoyed about this album was its distinctive sound and arrangement of the material. I enjoy classically performed opera and was surprised how much I like the Opera Babes' versions. Of course, the wonderful voices added immensely to the high quality of this product.

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)

Average customer rating:

Great CD
Simply the Best
Inconsistent, but mostly excellent
"Celebration" is not strong enough a word
A maginificent evening, a magnificent album

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)
Stephen Sondheim , Betty Buckley , Paul Gemignani , Patti LuPone , Liza Minnelli , and Bernadette Peters
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Side By Side By Sondheim (1976 Original London Cast)
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Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim
Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall
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ASIN: B000003FDW
Release Date: 1993-02-23

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Sweeney Todd--orchestra, Jerry Hadley ("Johanna"), Eugene Perry,Herbert Perry ("Pretty Women")
Evening Introduction--Bill Irwin
Loveland/Getting Married Today--Ensemble, Jeanne Lehman, Mark Jacoby, Madeline Kahn
Waiting for the Girls Upstairs--George Lee Andrews, Michael Jeter, James Naughton/Love, I Hear--Michael Jeter/Live Alone and Like It--James Naughton
Someone Is Waiting--Richard Muenz/Symphonic Sondheim: Barcelona--orchestra
Being Alive--Patti LuPone
Good Thing Going--The Tonics
Losing My Mind/You Could Drive a Person Crazy--Dorothy Loudon
Our Time--Boys Choir of Harlem/Children Will Listen--Betty Buckley
Anyone Can Whistle--Billy Stritch
Water Under the Bridge--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch
Back in Business--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch, Ensemble

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Comedy Tonight--Bill Irwin, orchestra
Sooner or Later--Karen Ziemba
Pretty Lady--Mark Jacoby, Eugene Perry, Herbert Perry
Green Finch and Linnet Bird--Harolyn Blackwell
The Ballad of Booth--Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber
Broadway Baby--Daisy Eagan
I Never Do Anything Twice--BETTY
With So Little to Be Sure Of--Jerry Hadley, Carolann Page
Not a Day Goes By--Bernadette Peters
Remember?--Ron Baker, Peter Blanchet, Carol Meyer, Bronwyn Thomas, Blythe Walker (Quintet)/A Weekend in the Country--Kevin Anderson, George Lee Andrews, Mark Jacoby, Beverly Lambert, Maureen Moore, Susan Terry, Quintet
Send in the Clowns--Glenn Close
Old Friends--Liza Minnelli
Sunday--Bernadette Peters, Broadway Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2006-08-06

This is a wonderful double CD of fabulous musical numbers performed by theatre greats and directed by a legandary musical director.

Simply the Best.......2005-06-29

First, to the person who criticizes the recording b/c of "Broadway Baby." Daisy Egan (who sings in in this recording) sounds like she's 10 becuase she IS young. She had just appeared on Braodway in Secret Garden and won a Tony for it. It's a joke...Broadway BABY...hello, it's a joke.

In a compilation of songs like this you're always going to have tracks that you prefer over others, but the majority of the renditions in this CD are great. This is simply one of the best collections of Sondheim out there. You get interpretations that span from "classical" (Green Finch), to bordering on insane (Anything Twice). This is to demonstrate how versatile this composer really is.

In my opinion, some of the best renditions are "Not a Day Goes By," "Anyone Can Whistle", "Girls Upstairs Medley," "Losing My Mind/Drive a Person Crazy," and "Weekend inthe Country." Makes me wish I had been there to witness it first hand.

If you love Sondheim and enjoy hearing Broadway performers, get this CD. A great recording.

Inconsistent, but mostly excellent.......2004-03-21

I am sure no knowledgeable person would deny how absolutely perfect all these songs are. However, the performances on this album are extremely inconsistent. It will go from an excellent rendition (Waiting for the Girls medley, Sunday, With So Little To Be Sure Of, Sooner or Later, Green Finch, Send in the Clowns, Pretty Lady) to the weird (I never Do Anything Twice), to the bad (Broadway Baby, Our Time). I still have absolutely no idea how they managed to butcher one of the best songs ever written--Good Thing Going--and turn it into smooth jazz elevator music. Why would they give Broadway Baby to someone who sounds like she's 10? That said, Liza Minelli, Glenn Close, Karen Ziemba, Dorothy Laudon and the "Waiting for the Girls" performers are all very good. And ending with Bernadette Peters and "Sunday" ends the set on a absolutley fabulous note.

"Celebration" is not strong enough a word.......2003-04-30

This review is by Crosley.

I have been a major Sondheim fan for quite some time, and I finally obtained a copy of this album. I was blown away by the excellent cast and phenomenal selection of music. It is obvious how much work went into this production, considering that this is the live recording of a one time show, and it's flawless. The songs cover all of his shows with the exception of "Passion," which was released 3 years after this show. Also, the shows for which he wrote only lyrics are ommited, like West Side Story, Gypsy, etc. Thus, you can find material from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Merrily we Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins.

There are two striking things about this CD (besides the music and performers themselves). First of all, some of the songs are completely stylistically reworked. The most obvious are "Good Thing Going" and "I Never do Anything Twice." Both are traditionally very ballady with a piano accompaniment, but here they have been redone as jazzy tunes. The result is excellent. Such reworkings demonstrate that Sondheim writes music for virtually any style, and in these cases, across several styles. It's a great example of his variety. The other interesting thing is how many songs have overlapping melodies of songs from different shows. Case in point, "Our Time" and "No one is Alone" are sung seperately by the Harlem Boys Choir and Betty Buckley (the original Grizabella in Webber's atrocious "CATS," although Buckley was excellent) respectively, and then combined. Putting these two songs together offer different meanings to each, and the music is only enhanced. Another example, the trio of "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs," "Love, I Hear," and "Live Alone and Like It" are sung in that order, and then the latter two are combined. Again, the meanings of the songs change, this time in an almost narrative style, and offering different takes on love in the same montage. Lastly (at least for this review, there are more), Dorothy Laudon's (the original Ms. Hannigan in Annie) combination of "Losing my Mind" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" is brilliant. Those who are familiar with these songs will wonder how exactly they fit, but trust me, they do. She swtiches back and forth between melodies to create a number that starts poignant and beautiful, and soon moves to become uproariously funny. Both the song reworkings and overlapping melodies of unrelated songs are all for the better.

I recommend this recording to anyone wanting to get better acquainted with some of Sondheim's best work, or those already familiar who want to hear a tour de force of phenomenal music. It has been said that Sondheim is a masterful lyricist (which he is), but lacks real talent for music. This CD is the final proof that such critics are wrong. His music may take a few listenings to get into, contrary to Webber or Wildhorn, but unlike those two, he doesn't cater to the audience. He challenges them to think outside of traditional musical theater in a glorious repertoise of shows that reach for a smarter, more sophisticated form.

A maginificent evening, a magnificent album.......2001-12-16

There's something to be said for the first concert you ever see at Carnegie Hall. I was fortunate enough to have this be my first. This entire evening was devoted to his genius and the performers did not disappoint.

This wonderful double CD shows off the best and brightest of the musical theatre composer and it is, as one person put it, "an embarassment of riches." With songs from his finest works done in amazing arrangements (listen to that harmony in "We Had a Good Thing Going"!) combined with fabulous performers this is a Sondheim lovers delight.

My favorite song is, without a doubt, Dorothy Louden and her wonderful medley of "Losing My Mind" into "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" followed very closely by the recently departed Madeline Kahn singing "Getting Married Today."

I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump
Average customer rating:

I am on a string and you can lead me anywhere

Goodnight Moon

Shivaree throws one heck of a party!

It's all Good

Alice in Dr. Seus-land

I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump
Shivaree
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Zenkyokusyu

ASIN: B00001ZSTB
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Tracks:

Cannibal King
Bossa Nova
Daring Lousy Guy
Arlington Girl
Oh, No
Lunch
Goodnight Moon
I Don't Care
Pimp
Idiot Waltz
Ash Wednesday
Arrivederci

Customer Reviews:

I am on a string and you can lead me anywhere.......2007-06-28

Shivaree is what more pop should sound like -- an embittered torch singer who secretly dreams of experimental electrofolk. This odd trio debuted with "I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump," whose title gives you a hint about what their eerie fusion ballads and alt-rock sound like.

It opens on a deliciously sick note with "Cannibal King," which is basically some wobbling keyboard, and Ambrosia Parsley singing, "The cannibal king with the big nose ring/Fell in love with a sweet young maid/And every night by the pale moonlight/This is what you'll hear him say..." Well, that's not very sick, but Ambrosia makes a loud yummy sound at the end.

The actual music starts with "Bossa Nova," a little alt-countryish song peppered with samples and clashes of synth. And, of course, a girl's incisive breakup with her guy ("I'm never talking to you again/I'll go join the marines/And then I will peacefully sail away with some safe magazines!"). Then we get the deliciously jagged electropop of "Daring Lousy Guy."

From there on, Shivaree experiments with variations of the fusion music: the electronica-riddled piano songs, jazzy little ballads, mournful alt-rocky laments, funky tunes about "a back stabbing Hollywood pimp," and the exquisitely soulful "Goodnight Moon." But things mellow out somewhat in the last trio of songs, which include a cynically romantic ballad, a wistful acoustic melody, and finally the "Arrivederci."

Shivaree have grown and changed over the years, but their debut album is still a pretty solid listen -- they take your basic folky-rocky-countryish melodies, and weave in some electropop and jazz. And they've got some truly wicked, incisive songwriting, as if the title didn't tip you off.

The band manages soft and poppy songs with equal alacrity: solid riffs, great drumming, and some gentle interweaving of piano melodies and acoustic guitar. And of course, lots and lots of synth -- blippy, funky, and shimmering soft canopies of shivering sound. Danny McGough isn't quite perfect, though -- Shivaree has a tendency to cram synthy tangles into any quieter spots between vocals.

But Parsley takes center stage, with the voice and attitude of a world-weary torch singer -- throaty and hostile, with a jaded view of romance and the world. She sings of free spirits, abusive boyfriends ("Your throat is going to be exploded/and I'm still being shy!"), fear of the dark, and nasty entertainment bosses. "Something's under the bed/Now it's out in the hedge/There's a big black crow sitting on my window ledge/And I hear something scratching through the wall..."

Shivaree started off remarkably strong in their debut album "I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump," which lives up to its name -- bitter, beautiful, and wickedly funny.

Goodnight Moon.......2006-05-14

Love Ambrosia Parsley's singing voice. Haunting in some ways, smooth, soothing... It seems, though, about the only winner is tune #7, Goodnight Moon, on this CD. This won't stop me from buying something else by this group, or by Ambrosia, should she venture out on her own.

Was it worth buying this CD? For me, yes. Absolutely. Can't get enough of Goodnight Moon; also, this seems to be the type of album one has to play a few times to truly appreciate the music.

Shivaree throws one heck of a party!.......2006-01-29

I liked this CD - it's out of the rut. These aren't people playing to whatever the fickleness of commercialism dictates for the minute, these are folks playing what they want. Hence the music is a bit quirky with the opening an old standard. Overall, I found the CD quite haunting- lots of shivers running up and down my spine. It's also well done- you won't be disappointed if you give it a more serious listen.

On the downside- well, I found some tracks stronger than others- I'd characterize this CD as a bit uneven. But that's a small price to pay for something that you're not going to hear on commercial radio.

Sam B.
Stamford, CT

It's all Good.......2005-10-19

If you loved "Goodnight Moon" you'll like the rest of the album. Although the hit single is the shining light on the CD, the remainder of the songs are just as cool and stay true to the Shivaree style.

Alice in Dr. Seus-land.......2005-09-02

I Oughtta starts off with the extreamly short Cannibal King, a 46 second ditty that highlights pretty much everything important about Shivaree: a macabre subject, a comic undertone, unexpected music and outstanding vocals. Once past the short intro piece, I Oughtta dives full on into the band's eccentric goodness.
Goodnight Moon may be the band's only really famous song, and it's the only thing on the CD that comes close to being 'pop'-y. The rest range from millitary-style exit marches (Arlington Girl) to obessive-compulsive love ballads (Oh No). Of special note are the excellent Bossa Nova and the altogether much too short Arrivederci and Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday in particular is an increadibly tranquil bit remnicent of campfire circles.
Ambrosia Pierce is worthy of the praise sung to her name, her breathy, husky-sweet vocals are clear and well matched to the music, carrying a wide range of emotion and nuance. While not the most dynamic or talented singer on the market, she carries herself well and plays to her strengths, making for music as smart as it is beautiful.
Overall, I Oughtta a strange and wonderful cross between fantasy and nightmare, elegant and poised, with a beautiful edge of maddness. Excellent.

Average customer rating:

God Bless Daniel Rodriquez
Music From and For the Heart
Daniel Rodriguez
Some definite winners on this album
The Spirit of America

The Spirit of America
Daniel Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Manhattan Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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In The Presence
From My Heart
God Bless America
The Impossible Dream
My Life Belongs to You

ASIN: B00005Y1YC
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

God Bless America
We Will Go On
Ave Maria
This Is The Moment
Danny Boy
Bring Him Home
Shenandoah
America The Beautiful
The Lord's Prayer
Into The Fire
You'll Never Walk Alone
The House I Live In

Amazon.com

It's said politics makes strange bedfellows. But it's got nothing on the peculiar marriage of art and history inspired by the tragic events of 9/11/01. Before that day, Daniel Rodriguez was a member of New York's finest, working as an NYPD security officer at the Manhattan South precinct. If it seemed an odd calling for a gifted, operatically trained tenor, it was employment many a journeyman artist could relate to: the proverbial "day job." As it turns out, no police academy in the world could have trained Rodriguez for the crucial role his city's darkest hour thrust upon him. While his colleagues mourned their staggering losses and toiled around the clock in rescue efforts, Rodriguez delivered renditions of "God Bless America" that rallied both his city and his country, much as Kate Smith's version of the Irving Berlin patriotic standard had done at the dawn of WWII.

Contemporary jazz great-producer Tom Scott took it from there, showcasing Rodriguez's powerful voice in this deftly arranged album focused sharply on personal and national inspiration. Taking his cue from his own hero, Mario Lanza, Rodriguez instills no small amount of drama in his performances, and it serves him well on tracks like the American folk classic "Shenandoah," a rousing take on Scarlet Pimpernel's "Into the Fire," and the relative Sinatra rarity "The House I Live In." The "God Bless America" here varies from the original single release, with Rodriguez reading the spoken intro once delivered by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Is Rodriguez the greatest tenor of modern times? No. But it's hard to imagine a talent better suited to the challenge history has thrust upon him; we're lucky--make that blessed--to have him. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

God Bless Daniel Rodriquez.......2007-07-16

This alblum is a treasure to own and listen to. He really captures the spirit of patriotism. I have played his songs at a local fireworks show that I DJ at and his songs are up there with the other songs by artists by Mr. Lee "God Bless The U.S.A." Greenwood and other great artists. New York City and the nation needed him at a time when we were trying to recover from the worst tragedy in the history of the U.S.A. and he was there for us.

Music From and For the Heart.......2006-11-25

Daniel's album is music to be shared with family and with friends to help further ensure warmth, strong family ties, and love of our beautiful country. His voice is magical, skilled, rich and so memorable that it can take one on a journey from yesterday to promise for a bright tomorrow. This is a superb rendering of past unforgettable music. His solemn rendition of the peace song "God Bless America" is the album's centerpiece and truly unforgettable....

Daniel Rodriguez.......2006-11-11

I first heard of Daniel Rodriguez a couple of months ago when he sang on Jay Leno's show. He was/is WONDERFUL! His voice is beautiful, but he sings from the heart, and that makes him exceptional.

Some definite winners on this album.......2005-12-14

My favorites are "Ave Maria" and "The Lord's Prayer" where Daniel truly shows off his vocal talents. I could have done without the choir backup on "Ave Maria" but nonetheless a great rendition.

The ending that he has for the "The Lord's Prayer" almost brings a tear to my eye each time I hear it. Well done Daniel.

The Spirit of America.......2005-10-10

This is a great CD...of course, Daniel Rodriquez is the best!!!
As much as I enjoyed it, I do think "In the Presence", also by the same vocalist, is the ultimate. That could be because "In the Presence" was the first CD I had of this tenor vocalist, who is outstanding!

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